For the reaction CO2 + H2 <--> CO + H20 + heat, indicate how the change in condition will shift the equilibrium (ie right or left)
a. Removal of CO2
b. Addition of H2 molecules
c. Increase volume of reaction vessel
d. Addition of catalyst
e. Refrigerate reaction vessel
Le Chatelier's Principle, in not so eloquent terms, says that a reaction at equilibrium will shift to try and undo what we've done to it.
a. So if we remove CO2 it will move to the left so as to increase CO2.
b. Adding H2 molecules it will shift to the right to try to use up the added H2.
etc.
To determine how the change in conditions will shift the equilibrium of a chemical reaction, we need to consider Le Chatelier's principle. This principle states that if a system at equilibrium is subjected to a change in conditions, the system will undergo a shift to counteract that change.
a. Removal of CO2: If CO2 is removed from the reaction mixture, the equilibrium will shift to the right to restore the concentration of CO2. This is because the removal of CO2 disrupts the balance of reactants and products, so the system will respond by producing more CO2 to regain equilibrium.
b. Addition of H2 molecules: Adding H2 molecules to the reaction mixture will shift the equilibrium to the right to consume the additional H2. By increasing the concentration of one of the reactants, the system will favor the forward reaction to restore equilibrium.
c. Increase volume of reaction vessel: If the volume of the reaction vessel is increased, the equilibrium will shift in the direction that produces fewer gas molecules. In this case, CO and H2O have fewer gas molecules compared to CO2 and H2, so the equilibrium will shift to the right to reduce the total number of gas molecules.
d. Addition of a catalyst: A catalyst does not affect the position of equilibrium itself. Instead, it increases the rate at which equilibrium is reached by lowering the activation energy for both the forward and reverse reactions. Therefore, adding a catalyst will not shift the equilibrium position.
e. Refrigerating the reaction vessel: Lowering the temperature by refrigerating the reaction vessel will cause the equilibrium to shift to the side in which heat is produced. In this case, the forward reaction is exothermic (heat is produced), so refrigerating the vessel will favor the backward reaction (shift to the left) to generate more heat and restore equilibrium.
Remember, these explanations are based on the general principles of Le Chatelier's principle. The actual shifts in equilibrium position may also depend on the specific reaction and the stoichiometry of the balanced equation.